Hunting Grounds
by hybridbpv
Summary: Continued from "Comfort". Situation: Post New York. Clint and Natasha take a leave to be together. No big story development: Fluffy Smutty type thing. Rated for language, adult content and situations, possibly bloodshed. Please rate/review/favourite! Thank you for your continuous support (: xx COMPLETED: (19/02/13)
1. Silence is Golden

Loki and Thor disappeared with a flashing, hovering blue light. _It's over. It's finally over._ Natasha breathed a sigh of relief. And after sending Dr. Banner away with Stark, she and Clint got in the car and started their "leave". Technically it wasn't really a leave. If anything serious happens, God forbid, then they would be called back. Otherwise, Fury promised to leave them alone.

With Loki taken care of, they finally got a sense of themselves. Perhaps they should even _thank _Loki. Without him, perhaps Natasha's new perspective of Clint wouldn't exist, or Clint wouldn't have had the courage to confess, or Natasha would've run away.

Clint had his hands stuck on the wheel and eyes pinned on the road. He always has his eyes pinned on something. And that's why he's so afraid of the dark. The one advantage that he has, gone, taken away. And he hates sleeping, he hates closing his eyes and let the darkness consume him. He never understood the dark. The vastness and infinite shadows that had him surrounded. But with Natasha agreeing to sleep with him, he finally decided to flick off the light at the end of the bed. That was yesterday - and yesterday, everything changed. New York was completely trashed, alien sightings, the Avengers initiative being brought to life. Natasha's attitude was possibly one of the best changes though.

The thing about Natasha is, she's selfish. She didn't fight to save the world, or the people in it (well, possibly for Clint, but she had to, after all, he is her partner). She fought because it was her duty and an obligation. Being brought up in the Red Room basically conducted and sculpted her into who she was. Until she met Clint, and everything changed.

Many times, had she got on S.H.E.I.L.D.'s naughty list. Many times, Fury wanted to get rid of her. Many times, Clint could've snipped her with an arrow, but he withdrew his arm and hoped for the best. The first few encounters with her were nothing short of spectacular. Clint had never met someone so dedicated and skilled and drop dead gorgeous. Her "don't-mess-with-me" attitude figuratively had him on his knees, and whenever he heard her cuss in Russian, his blood boiled.

Natasha had her eyes closed and her head leaning against the headrest. Finally, she could let her guard down and enjoy the quietness and the comfort she had with Clint.

Sometimes, Natasha has these moments with Clint that she just can't explain. Many would say that she says what she thinks, but not with Clint. There were these moments of silence where she was just in complete awe and found herself gaping at his beauty. He definitely wasn't the finest of men, but he sure was something. Someone special. In these treasured moments of silence, Natasha can feel his presence radiating from his body. Perhaps this was what it was like to be in love.

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Thank you for reading this story: there'll be more chapters coming up! Please fav/review - that's what keeps me going! xx


	2. A Little Domestic

Natasha blinked as she woke up. Clint was still silent as ever.

"Good morning." Clint smirked. He was clearly amused. Outside, it was the magical hours. They were still zooming past the highway and towards the big maple. Only 5 hours drive left.

"Very funny." Natasha scoffed. Clint's stomach gave a loud grumble. "You hungry?"

"Only a little. We'll stop by a drive through?" Clint suggested gleefully.

"No, no. There's a supermarket right there," she pointed, "I want something light today. Sandwiches and fruits sound good?"

"Okay." Clint said, and then he paused for a moment. "Natasha, can we go on a picnic?"

"A picnic?" Natasha raised her eyebrows. "What are we, twelve?" Clint gave her a face. An _oh_ sorta face. "No, I didn't mean that. I just thought, you know. Sure, we can have a picnic."

* * *

Natasha looked domestic as ever, with her hair down, and wearing dark pants and her favourite t-shirt. She was pecking at a sandwich. Clint just smiled at her. He held his sandwich in one hand, but had no intention to eat it, because damn, she looked so beautiful like this. And call him crazy, he started seeing things in his head. Images of Natasha, barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen of the vacation house. Of course, that wasn't possible, because she had her IUD put in once she started working for S.H.E.I.L.D. The good thing about it is, they don't have to worry about condoms, or pills, or injections.

"Eat, Clint." Natasha said between her nibbles. "You've been driving for three hours already. You need to replenish."

Clint nodded.

The grass lightly tickled the soles of his bare feet. He bit a large chunk of the sandwich and chewed. Natasha smiled shyly at him. Natasha always knew what to say - except for when she was with Clint. Perhaps she was embarrassed that she had shown feelings, or perhaps it was just her, when she was in love.

Natasha had always felt this way about Clint - the little flame flickering in her stomach. But now it has grown to a full-blast flamethrower. Every time he was near, she felt it. The rumbling clenches in her core. Sometimes, she even felt light-headed, like she didn't know what to think or how she felt.

"These are good sandwiches!" Clint mumbled as he chewed. A bit of bread flew on Natasha's arm.

"Ew." Natasha flicked off and made a face, but giggled slightly. "Keep your mouth shut!" Clint touched his index finger with his thumb and swept it across his closed lips, like a zip._ Dork._

"I like these." Clint exclaimed upon finishing his fifth sandwich.

"You told me already." Natasha mumbled.

"But I do. I'll tell you again." Clint grinned. "I like these." He reached for another sandwich. Natasha swatted his hand away.

"Clint!" Natasha scolded. "That's quite enough. I'm not cleaning what you regurgitate. I'll pack some of these for the road."

Clint pouted his lips but made no move to stop her. Natasha peered at him with greedy eyes. That playful look and the sparkle in his eyes made her needy. She wrapped the cling foil around the sandwiches neatly and put it in a clear lock-n-lock box.

They made their way back to the car, when out of nowhere, their fingers touched. Clint looked at Natasha. She was red. He felt her soft hand again. This time, she was reaching to grasp him. So he complied. He slowly stroked the back of her hand and took it in a soft grasp. They walked in silence. Natasha was embarrassed. Clint was over the moon.

After packing the groceries in the trunk, Clint took the drivers seat again.

"Clint, are you sure you wanna drive again, I mean, I have a licence too." Natasha mumbled.

"It's fine, baby." Clint smiled.

"Don't call me baby." Natasha snapped. Clint stared at her for a moment, clearly disappointed. "Look Clint, this whole _relationship_ thing is kinda new."

"I know." Clint said nothing more. For the rest of the trip, there was a silence. This one was not as comfortable as the other one. Natasha thought of apologising, perhaps explaining, but she did nothing wrong. Clint wanted to confront her again - about her fears, but he didn't. They crossed the border round about 10pm, shortly thereafter checked in at the motel.

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Will be updating soon! Thank you for reviewing and favouriting and following! Mahalo (: xx


	3. Infantile

Neither of them uttered a word for the rest of the night. Clint was completely exhausted from the 8 hours of driving, and Natasha just felt guilty for snapping at Clint.

It was pretty ironic. Natasha didn't feel any guilt for killing, any remorse for hurting and torturing someone. But the man who was humming in the shower made her _feel_ things from the heart. Clint, unlike others, was sure she had a heart. And perhaps that was why she felt things for him.

She continued to dry her hair while she slipped into her favourite pyjamas. Who would've thought Natasha had cute pyjamas. Most of the time, she would sleep naked anyways. It was too much of a hassle to put them on and take them off when she could just put on her work clothes. But around Clint, she felt shy. Natasha knew that she looked good - she worked out almost _daily_ to keep her body in prestige condition. It wasn't like they hadn't fucked a hundred times before, but there was just something about Clint staring at her body that was highly erotic and made her stir. So Natasha ran her slender fingers along her calves before stepping into the baby pink pants and buttoning the matching top.

Clint stepped out of the shower with only a towel clinging to his waist. What a sight! Natasha stopped dead in her tracks as she re-packed her things into the duffel bag. She just stared. And Clint knew what effect he had on her, his muscles rippling across his body when he moved - the bare thought of it had her going. She flushed, but she didn't look away. His battle scars only made him sexier, his rough hands, his strong torso… she loved every aspect of him.

"Like what you see?" Clint teased, knowing that Natasha would blush even redder. She did, and averted her eyes to the floor. "You know I don't mind you looking at me."

A gazillion thoughts ran through her mind at the time. She wanted him to fuck her in every possible position, on every possible surface. But she quickly dismissed those. She wanted to save it for the vacation house. She wanted to save herself and her sex to make it special for both of them. Natasha's silence reminded Clint about him calling her "baby".

"Tasha… Are you still angry at me?" He said as he stepped towards her.

"N-no." Natasha turned around to pack her stuff again.

"Then why aren't you talking to me?" Clint breathed. His voice was hurt - it sounded more like a statement than a question.

"I just… Clint - you know everything about us, between us is so new. Everything is a first time to me. I've only been intimate in an emotional level with so many people." Natasha almost quivered as she continued to _pretend_ to pack.

"So many people?" Clint raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yeah… so many people being you." Natasha sighed. "Look, I know you want me to be all lovey-dovey and teddy bear like - "

"You mean like the ones on your _pink pyjamas_?" Clint chuckled as he wrapped his arms around Natasha's waist.

"You laugh at me _or_ interrupt me again, I'll kick your sorry ass." Natasha snarled. "Well, as I was saying… I just… need a while to get used to this, and get to know you in… that way."

"I know. I want to show you my love." Clint hushed as he nuzzled his nose in her hair. She smelt so nice, roses and vanilla and musk. "Natasha, I love you."

"You know I do to…" Natasha tried to brush his hand away.

"Say it." Clint paused to wait for her a while. "Turn around, look at me, and say it."

Natasha complied. Very slowly, she turned to face him, her face burning, still clutching at the edge of her pyjamas. She looked at him straight in the eye. _You can do this. It's just three words. _"I l-love you". But Natasha just started crying. It wasn't a small cry. She was sobbing.

Clint held her close to his chest, knowing the pain that she was going through. "It's okay, Natasha. It's okay. Thank you for being so brave." He curled his hand up so that he could pet her hair. Natasha clutched onto his bare biceps. She liked the way he felt because he was so comforting. She liked the way he called her by her pet name. She liked when he touched her and petted her and calmed her down, because she finally had someone who took care of her.

Growing up in the Red Room made her cold and numb. The first time that Clint saved her was when he recruited her instead of killing her. And that was a sort of care that she was never exposed to. In the Red Room, it was all about killing, and pain, and how to be better at combat - how to survive. But she had moved up the hierarchy of needs and wanted more. When Clint held her, she felt so safe and comfortable in their bubble. Not her bubble, but _their _bubble. She needed him. He was like her father in a way, like a brother in a way, like her best friend, but most of all her _soulmate._ In a nutshell, he was his yin to her yang. And she knew she needed to accept this. She couldn't just put it off her mind and pretend this wasn't a problem. It was going to hover her until she confronted her demons, and Clint would help him through it.

After her tears trickled down his chest, she rested her head against his shoulder. "Clint… I want to sleep."

"No sex?" Clint said. She shook her head. _No._ "Okay."

Natasha climbed onto the bed while he watched Clint pull up his sweatpants. As much as she wanted to pounce on him, she resisted. _Sleep_, she thought to slid into the bed next to her. She smiled lightly.

"I don't want you to cry for me, Natasha. I want you to be happy with me. Damn, I just want you to be happy. But of course I want to be with you. But do whatever makes you happy. I only want to see you smile." Clint blabbered quickly, losing track of what he was saying. Natasha giggled as his silly facial expression. "See? I like that."

"I love you, Clint." Natasha kept her smile this time, she really, really loved him.

"I love you too, Tasha." Clint smiled back at her. "Lights off?"

"If you want." Natasha didn't move her eyes away. She just kept staring.

"Okay." Clint turned and stretched his arm to pull the chain on the light. It was dark, and only the light from the windows seeped through the bottom of the curtains.

"Clint…" Natasha whispered.

"Hm?"

"Would you mind putting your arms around me?" Natasha whispered again.

"Tash… you mean you want me to spoon you?" Clint said. Natasha went silent. Clint slipped his arms around her lean waist and he pulled her closer towards himself. His heart was pumping quickly against her back. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, baby." Natasha whispered as she smiled.

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	4. Couple's Bicker

As per usual, Natasha woke up before Clint. He was drooling on the pillow, arms around Natasha and just looked damned adorable. So Natasha took a moment to consider the situation. _This is what's going on: you fell in love with your partner, and S.H.I.E.L.D. hasn't said anything._ Natasha sighed. It was too early to think about the future, wasn't it. Clint nuzzled closer to her as he grunted something she couldn't understand. Her stomach grumbled. She carefully slipped out of his grip and out of bed.

After taking her shower and getting dressed, Natasha walked back into the bedroom. Clint was splayed out across the bed. With a slender finger, she traced the muscles on his core. God, he was sexy. Natasha had to bite her lip to prevent herself from waking him up. His skin was so _hot_. She ran her finger along the scars. Clint gave another muffled groan into the pillow.

The light seeped through the curtains on Clint's face, and oh… he smiled. His smile was a gentle one, an _oh-I-like-sleeping_ one. Natasha couldn't bare to wake him up. Her partner needed his beauty sleep, so she slipped back in bed with him.

It was Clint who woke Natasha up later that afternoon. She'd dosed off beside her, and shortly thereafter, he woke up. He looked at her the way she did him, the look of admiration and love. He adored her fair skin up against the equally fair pillow, red hair sprayed along the white pillow case. Her skin was near perfect, no blemishes or unevenly distributed colours. There was only the scab on her forehead from New York. That ugly bump against the floor, that loud thump, the blood gushing whilst Natasha struggled to free her ankle. She was just still and sleeping. And for a moment Clint panicked, she was too still, like she wasn't breathing.

So Clint grabbed her shoulders tightly and shook her. Her eyelids flew open and by instinct she reached for her inexistent thigh holster. Pupils dilated and a bead of sweat started forming on her forehead.

"God, Clint." Natasha finally let out her breath.

"Sorry." Clint uttered apologetically. "I just thought… you didn't look like you were breathing."

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Natasha shook her head as she swept the blanket off her body and swung her legs off the side of the bed.

"You slept in t-shirt and jeans?" Clint raised his eyebrow at her.

"I woke up before you - you looked so comfortable." Natasha shrugged her shoulders. Clint rolled towards Natasha and smiled. A simple smile that warmed her heart and make her bend down to peck him swiftly on the lips. "Shower. I'll put the things in the car."

"Your ankle is still hurt. Let me." Clint quickly followed behind her and kept her within his hold. "I said, let me."

"Clint. I can still do things. I want to do things too. Go shower." Natasha said again. With puffed out cheeks, Clint made a childish face and walked into the bathroom.

* * *

After brunch, Natasha took the wheel and happily hummed as they zoomed passed planes and planes of trees and greenery. It was so different from New York. It felt safe somehow, unlike Budapest, or Stutgard.

"Let's play a game." Clint announced.

"I need to concentrate." Natasha sounded slightly irritated.

"Tash, it's a straight road. It's a _straight_ road. We'll keep our eyes on the road." Clint laughed.

"There are reindeer in Canada." Natasha muttered again. "Fine. What's the game?"

"The game is… we sing a song, and we get faster and faster until someone fucks up the lyrics." Clint smirked. Natasha stared at Clint for a while. "No?"

"Of course not." Natasha rolled her eyes at Clint. "Where are we actually heading? I've only been driving to the west."

"To a beautiful, beautiful place that I bought and never actually stayed more than 2 days. Fury seems to have something against me resting." Clint huffed. "You'll like it."

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Sorry for the long wait... School has been busy, but the others will be up soon! Please review/follow/favourite! Thank you so much! xx


	5. Human Relations

The beautiful, beautiful place was Clint's holiday house in Banff. More like a simple cabin with a nearby lake surrounded by trees. Natasha only saw ten thousand places suitable for a possible ambush, but Banff was one of the most beautiful, peaceful places, and it was the last place there was danger.

"Clint… apart from all the sniping spot on the hills and the trees; this _is_ really beautiful." Natasha breathed as she carried the small duffel bag across her shoulder as she tried not to limp towards the small wooden house.

"I can take those." Clint already had various bits and pieces on his shoulders.

"No, it's just a few steps." Natasha bumped his shoulder. "Besides, I still whooped your ass back on the helicarrier."

"Let it go." Clint chuckled. "The keys are in my pocket. Would you mind?" There was a mischievous glint in his eyes, and he was obviously amused. Natasha used her free hand to slip into his pant pockets. _Damn, his pants are tight._ Clint's smirk spread across his face until finally he was grinning like a boy on Christmas day. She fished out the many shiny keys and dangled them in front of his eyes. "The one with the loopy head." Natasha took the bronze key and opened the door.

"This is… neat." Natasha scoffed with a hint of irony.

"Last time, I left in a hurry. Fury sent Phil to pick me up." Clint's face grimed when he mentioned Coulson. There was a long, uncomfortable silence. "Don't worry about cleaning it. It's my mess, I'll take care of it. Just… go climb some trees or something."

"Oh, you thought I was going to babysit? Hell no." Natasha joked.

She knew how much Coulson meant to Clint. He was one of his only friends, one of his closest assists, he was like an older brother. As his handler, Coulson took care of Clint. He "ignored" his faults by giving a stern "don't do it again" talk, but the conversation always ended with both parties with a smile on their face. He never failed to "praise" Clint by upping his training schedule, or giving him the latest gadgets for testing. And when Clint refuse to shoot Natasha, it was Coulson who saw the light in Natasha, he was above everyone else when it came to the decision of recruitment. Without him, Natasha wouldn't be with Clint. Without Coulson, she would probably be dead. Of course, he didn't call the shots when it came to S.H.I.E.L.D., Fury was the _almighty_. But Fury valued Coulson's every move and every opinion. Coulson was a trustworthy, though introverted bloke. At first Natasha thought he was useless. He wasn't a master assassin, with a special skill set. He didn't contribute much on the field, or to the development of S.H.I.E.L.D. But she soon realised his importance.

He was the most truthful, most valuable and most _human_ member of S.H.I.E.L.D. He was the one who brought them together as one, and held it as a team. It was Fury who made all the decisions, not Hill, who delivered the words of _god_, not any of the jokers controlling and monitoring the fragments of the helicarrier. It wasn't Cap, it wasn't Banner, or Stark, or Clint, or Tasha, or Thor. It wasn't even Loki's big plan that brought them together. It was Phil all along. And he certainly was a hero.

Unlike members of the Avengers, he wasn't able to fight. The only protection he had were his gadgets, his guns. He didn't have a shield, a hammer, an arrow, an armour, incredible strength or flexibility or speed. For him to stand up to Loki was a true act of valour. He knew there was a danger, but he was selfless and brave and a hero. He died for them, he died for the people - he died in honour, and Clint and Tasha both knew that he died proud.

The team didn't grieve. His passing was hurtful, and sudden, and heartbreaking. But they knew that Coulson died with a smile. Steve insisted that he was in heaven and God would take care of him. And to pay tribute they fought in his name, he was their push and motivation and inspiration.

Clint dumped the bags in a corner of the house and flopped onto the bed. And Natasha saw this as a sign. She laid next to him upon placing the bags next to the pile.

"Clint…" She breathed, not breaking eye contact. He rolled to face her in response. "I love you." This time, she managed it without flinching, or stuttering, or feeling shy about it. She knew it was the truth, and it was time to let her past go, because Clint is her present and her future. He didn't care about who she was in the Red Room. Clint gestured for a hug with his open arms and relaxed body. Natasha brought herself close to him and put her head on his chest.

His heart was beating loudly and quickly. With each pulse Natasha felt closer to him. He was so warm in this mist of chilly air. And his heart beat for her. His hand came up to cradle her heat tenderly. It didn't skip a beat when he reciprocated her love. "I love you too, Tasha."

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Again, sorry for the wait. School. I'm on holiday next week! EEEEP. But more work ): I hope I can update more often, because I really enjoy writing for you guys. Every email I recieve is worth every hour of writing. I have to thank everyone for getting this far with me. (: Please review/follow/favourite. I really appreciate it (: xx


	6. Game

Clint spent the rest of the day cleaning up his prior mess. All the jackets hung up in the closet, the bed made, and shoes in the cabinet. He unpacked all their things, and put them where they belonged; the toiletries in the toilet, the groceries in the kitchen, and the clothes folded and stacked in the drawers. Natasha lazed on the bed, enjoying the sunlight and the tensionless atmosphere of the cabin. When all the floors were scrubbed, the furniture brushed and windows wiped, Clint sat down on the weary eyed Natasha.

"Tasha, darling, snap for an hour or two. I'll get dinner ready." Clint huffed.

"What are we eating?" Natasha asked as she rubbed her eyes.

"Game." Clint beamed. It was sun-down, and the perfect time to shoot some passing animals.

"You're making stew?" Natasha sat up. "No, you're not making stew. I still remember the last time you made stew." She faked a shiver.

"Fine. You can make the stew. I'll kill." Clint pursed her lips. "Listen, Tasha, I know what you said meant a lot to you. It means a lot to me too. Thank you for trusting me." Clint proceeded to peck her cheek.

* * *

"I still don't understand how you caught a rabbit _and_ shot a , you have to pluck out the arrow before I do anything with it." Natasha snickered as she chopped the vegetables.

"Are you sure that's the _only _thing I can do? I want to help." Clint sniffed as he wrapped around his arms around her waist. "I love you being so domestic."

"Is that all?" Tasha brushed him off, but he only held on tighter.

"Oh, no. There's more. I love bad-ass Tasha, cheeky Tasha, loving Tasha, naughty Tasha, sleeping Tasha, and naked Tasha." Clint replied as he yawned.

"Which one's your favourite?" Natasha raised an eyebrow.

"It wasn't on the list." Clint responded.

"Which one is it?" Natasha persisted.

"_My _Tasha." Clint breathed directly into her ear, making sure she could catch every single syllable.

"Oh." Natasha gasped slightly.

"Oh." Clint teased. He spun her around without letting her go. "_My _Tasha." He repeated again. Natasha held up the rabbit by the ears.

"Skin this." She muttered, blushing, but with a smirk. He took the static creature and set it aside. "Where are the herbs?"

"In the overhead compartment." Clint brought his hand up to open the closet.

"Please fasten your seatbelt." Natasha joked as she took his arms and circled them around her waist once more.

* * *

"How do you make potatoes so soft?" Clint pigged down Natasha's game-and-delicious-stuff stew.

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." Natasha whispered, with a finger on her pursed lips.

"Natasha…" Clint put down his fork and stopped chewing. _Oh no… he wants to talk to you_. Natasha stopped breathing. He only did this when it was something really serious. Like when he wanted to be together with her as a partner, and as a "girlfriend".

"Sooner or later we have to go back to the field. It's a rough world out there." Clint sighed. "If I get hurt, like really bad… I want you to do it."

"Do what?" Natasha wanted to pretend that she didn't understand, that she didn't know what he was talking about. But the reality was, she refused to think about losing him, and couldn't imagine it.

"You know. Natasha. If we're on the field and I get hurt, I want to… I want to die in your arms." Clint clasped her hands.

"Clint, stop." Natasha withdrew her hands quickly. "I don't want to."

"Promise me, Natasha." Clint said as he stared into her eyes. He didn't blink, or smile. His smile stayed grim. "Promise me."

Natasha thought for a while. Was this what he really asked her to do? She must be hearing wrong, right? She heard him perfectly. Did she want to agree? This was the one thing she had, the one thing she treasured and wanted. Clint. But it would be the last thing she could do for him.

"Only if you promise to do the same. I want you to keep me warm and hold me and kiss me goodbye. I want the last things I hear to come from you." Natasha kept swallowing to keep her tears from flowing, and Clint understood.

"Okay." He stuck out his pinkie and she let hers interlock. "Did I mention how soft you make the potatoes?"

"You did." Natasha bit herself to keep the tears in.

"Well, I am going to say it again. These potatoes are so soft." Clint faked a smirk, wanting to bring the atmosphere back. It would take a while.

"Okay, I get it." Natasha smirked.

"There's ice-cream in the fridge." Clint said as he continued to pig down his meal.

"In the fridge? You mean the freezer?" Natasha laughed.

"Yes, the freezer." He nudged her lightly on the knee with his. "You know what I mean."

* * *

Natasha's hands were freezing by the time she finished the dishes. Clint just stepped out of the shower and the steam spread through the house.

"You're so cold." Clint said as he held her hand. "Go shower."

"Fine." Natasha stripped in front of him seductively as her lips curled up the word. She knew that Clint would be watching and she knew that he would enjoy it. He smacked his lips to show his appreciation as he ran his eyes along her body as she revealed her pale skin. And oh, she saw a barbaric hunger in his eyes. So she gathered her dirty clothes and closed the door of the bathroom.

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Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it so far. Tomorrow marks the start of Chinese New Year so a) Kung Hei Fat Choi, Happy Chinese New Year and b) I might not be updating too soon. (I have some chapters stored up but I want to edit them first hehehe) Might. Depending on how social I feel and how much procrastination I do. So please, in the mean time, if you would check out the other stories/previous chapters and give me some feed back that would be great! Please review/favourite/follow. xx


	7. Tease

The bathroom was warm from Clint's earlier shower. The steam still lingered in the air, and Natasha knew Clint had warmed it up for her. The stripping was her way of saying thank you. She had seen her effect on him many, many times. While they were at work, she would slip him a dirty note, and they would sneak into an empty room and have a nice, quick fuck. While they were sparring, she would let her fingers linger close to his core and his groin when he pinned her down. And when they were finally together in private, she would whisper naughty things, or give him looks, or simply just reduced the pieces of clothing she wore. His response would always be the same. His mouth would part, his pupils would dilated, his breath would quicken.

And just now, she saw him harden under the towel.

She took her time with herself. Scrubbing her scalp firmly with the tips of her fingers. Taming the mess of her beautiful red hair. Smearing the lathers of shower gel on her fair skin.

Clint grew impatient as he tired of ignoring the reaction in his groin. Well, technically not impatient, he was just annoyed. He wanted Tasha out of there as quickly as possible, and he wanted to do things to her. He wanted to see her sweat for him, hear him moan for him, feel her quicken for him. But that would have to wait.

Natasha couldn't resist but to run her hands along her body. It was warm, and cozy, and it felt so damned good. A hand wandered to her chest, and her nipples puckered at her touch. She let out a small moan.

When she finally came out of the shower, Clint was pissed, nevertheless very eager.

"What took you so long?" Clint half spat.

"It was comfy!" Natasha rebutted. "You're still…" She eyed his groin.

"Yes, I'm still hard." Clint stepped forward and ripped the towel off her body. Her hair was still so damp, and her skin was now warm and her chest was flushing. He swept her off her feet, letting the towel drop to the floor in a puddle. "Let me love you."

"Always." Natasha sighed. She was literally swept off of her feet. "I'm going to pay for the teasing in some way…" Clint responded with a sly grin.

"What else?" Clint huffed as he let her flop on the bed. "Now…"

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Hope you liked this installment. I changed the rating of this story because I decided to leave the smut for another story so that those who don't like graphic sex scenes can save themselves from having to read it. The story will be like a "section" of this one, except it won't effect the plot at all. I just wanted to have some fun.

Anyways, sorry for the blabbering. Please help me by leaving a review/favourite/follow. Your continuous support is much appreciated, and my motivation to keep writing (: xx

Happy Chinese New Year!


	8. Morning

The following morning, Natasha woke up to the warmth of Clint's body. He hadn't let go of her through the night, and they were both sweating, but he was big and there was little Natasha could do besides kick him in the shin to wake him up.

"Ow! Natasha. What was that for?" Clint muttered sheepishly as he woke from his slumber. Natasha giggled in response. They were still intertwined like vine growing around each other.

"That," Natasha shot a look down at their legs, "was for being too hot around me." Clint smiled. Relaxed Natasha was the best Natasha, not to mention how sexy she looked naked. "And this," Natasha turned around and gave Clint a swift peck on the lips, "was for the amazing sex last night."

"Always a pleasure." Clint chuckled. "Besides, who else was going to teach this naughty girl a lesson."

And Natasha knew, that for the reason, and that reason only, Clint was already her man - because he wasn't _afraid_ of her. He wasn't tense, or different around her. He was just himself. Even Fury kept an eye out, literally, for her. She was dangerous. She knew it. He knew it. Everyone knew it. But Clint was the only one to ever remain ambiguous for her, to fight for her and speak for her when she most needed it. To protect her and to cherish her because she belonged to him, and will always belong to him. She owed him her life, but she didn't love him because of that. She loved her because Clint was Clint when she was around, and nothing will ever change that.

"Clint… I know you know this. I love you, and I'm yours." Natasha whispered gently as she waited for his response nervously.

"You're mine, Tasha. I love you more than you will ever know, Natasha. Will you marry me?" Clint asked as he waited for her response nervously.

"God, Clint. I…" Natasha looked down and tried to turn away but his strong arms kept her in her place. "You don't even have a ring. I'll consider if you have one, but don't just propose without a ring." Natasha blushed and avoided his eye-contact and faked a chuckle, but Clint knew that it was her defence mechanism and he blew his chance just now.

"Whoever would've thought - Natasha was a hopeless romantic?" Clint laughed.

"I'm not, I just, I want to be with you, but I also want to take things slow." Natasha blabbered.

"We'll wait and see. Maybe I'm rushing things a bit." Clint wrapped his hands around her shoulders. "I know that what I said was sudden. I don't even know where it came from. Well, I do, but I don't. I know you're mine, physically and spiritually. I want it to be official, so no-one else can ever touch you and you don't have to go sleeping with other men for missions."

Natasha waited.

"I get jealous when you get sent on missions because I know how alluring and attractive you are, Natasha. I don't like it when you sleep with people to get information. I know it's part of the job, and I know it's how you do things, but it really hurts me that you do. I want you to be completely mine, no-one else's. God, Tasha, I even feel it when you're talking to Phil, but God help me, I know that you love me and that you won't love anyone else. I just hope you could treasure yourself a bit more than you do now." Clint said honestly and truthfully.

"You do?" Natasha moved back a little, feeling guilty for hurting him.

"I do. And it's all because I love you, Natasha."

"Then why didn't you tell me before?" She asked.

"Because from a young age, all you've known was killing and hurting people and doing your job right. You're not the type of person who would give up on your job because a silly man told you he loved you. And I'm sure many actually have, but they are your pawns, Natasha. You know damn right they are." Clint sighed.

"So you've kept it in so I could work and function properly?" Natasha was crying now, and she hated it because Clint always made her cry, for one reason or another.

"God, Tasha, you're not a machine. Stop making it sound as though you are. See? You're crying. Crying is good. Crying is new to you, but crying is good because you care about me and you love me." Clint brushed the tears off her face.

"It's so _weird_. With you, it's like I've lost my mind because Clint, I will do anything for you. My world is not just me anymore. It's us, and I don't know how to handle it." Natasha sniffed.

"I'm an asshole for making you cry right after you wake up." Clint muttered. "You're right. You need time. Can I make up to you by making breakfast while you doze for a little longer?"

Natasha nodded before wrapping her arms around the man she truly loved.

* * *

Happy Valentine's Day! I just sprained my ankle really bad and should be staying home so eheheh writing more... anyways, hope you liked it. Please leave me a review/follow/favourite (: xx


	9. Sookin Syn

Natasha ended up watching Clint for the rest of the morning while he hurried around the kitchen and tried to "cook". How he could make cereal so complicated was always a wonder. It was just milk and cereal. But, no, Clint made a whole meal of it.

"Clint, just let me help you. I want a big breakfast today. I feel really hungry after… last night." Natasha mumbled as she swept herself off the bed.

"I wonder why?" Clint smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Hm… I love this."

"I love this too," Natasha she kissed as she slid her hands under his arms and scooped them up to her mouth. "But right now, I'm starving. Sweetheart, you just pour milk in the cereal. It's no big deal!" She laughed. Clint laughed too.

"Well, I didn't know that." Clint chuckled. "I'm so glad you're here to take care of me."

"I'm glad I'm here to take care of you too. Bacon and ham and cheese omelette?"

"Whatever you cook, Tasha, I'll be here to finish every last bit." Clint kissed her before watching her like she did him.

* * *

After they washed the dishes, Clint took Natasha out to the nearby lake. It was a sunny, calm day and the waters were still. They laid on the grass and held hands and looked at the sky.

"Doesn't that one look like a lamb?" Natasha asked.

"Mhm." Clint nodded. "I'm going to go dip in the lake."

"But it's freezing and you don't have your swimming stuff." Natasha sat up.

"There's nobody around. I swim here all the time when I'm around." Clint dropped his clothes quickly as he ran, naked, and jumped into the lake. And Natasha followed him.

The water was freezing, but Natasha was Russian, so it was basically nothing. Except she loved the heat off Clint's skin. And Clint loved her warm breasts against his chest when she swam into his arms. The water was just shallow enough so he could lay his feet flat on the rocks and stand with his head above the water. Suddenly, Natasha cussed.

"Sookin syn!" Natasha squealed her Russian curse and made Clint jump.

"What's the matter, darling?" Clint brought her closer to himself. _Mm, she smells nice._

"Fish - tickling!" Natasha giggled as she writhed against Clint, and it only turned him on even more. Clint also felt the fish pecking against his legs and feet and body after Natasha calmed down and stay still. But every now and then, she would still wiggle a little.

* * *

"Hm." Natasha smiled as the cool air lingered on her skin. She was lying next to Clint on the grass and they were_glowing._

"Hm." Clint smiled as he let his eyes wander around her naked body. "Come on. We're gonna catcha cold if we don't put some clothes on."

"What are we having for dinner tonight?" Natasha asked. "Do I need to prepare anything?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to hunt with me, but nevermind." Clint shook his head as he sighed. He knew that Natasha needed a thrill and take a break from civilian life.

"Clint, you want me to hunt?" Natasha widened her eyes.

"It was just a suggestion." He fake-waved it off.

"No, I want to. Please let me hunt with you?" Natasha puppy-eyed him.

"Well, since you ask so nicely, let's go and get my bow and arrow." Clint ruffled his hair before standing up and getting dressed.

"And my gun?" Natasha asked.

"And your gun." Clint smiled.

* * *

I don't wanna go to school on Monday ): Hmpgh. I needa catch up on some work since I've been slacking off. (GUILTY!) But I'll try and keep writing while I can... hehehe. Hope you enjoyed. Please review/follow/favourite (: xx


	10. A Game

"This feels nice." Natasha smiled at Clint.

"I'm sure it does." Clint smiled back at Natasha.

Her hand caressed the hard object, lingering on every bulge and every edge. Clint followed her fingertips with his eyed, thoroughly enjoying what he saw. Natasha gave a small sigh and an even smaller smile. It's smooth texture was cool against her thumb as she gripped it. It felt so right in her hands… right where it belonged.

"Okay. That's just teasing all over again." Clint huffed as he grabbed her pistol out of her hands and she pouted. "Now, now. If you don't stop playing with your gun, you won't get to use it."

"Less chit-chat, more action." Natasha scolded.

"Your attitude is like this with absolutely everything." Clint laughed.

"Of course." Natasha leaned her head to one side as she followed Clint out of the door.

"I mean _everything_." Clint said as he grabbed her hand. "When we're training, when we're fighting in training, when we're actually fighting on the field, when we make love…"

It was obvious that Natasha was blushing. She was flushing scarlett on both her face and chest as she interlocked her fingers with his. Natasha never regarded their physical relationship as "making love", because love was for children. Past tense. Clint made Natasha believe in love. Everything felt like falling in love, everything was so new, and she was so head over heels. Some bit of her still believed that love is for children. At least that was what she wanted.

But she knew that he was there to keep her warm, to hold her in his arms, and to _love_ her for the rest of her life. And she was an idiot for begin afraid of being hurt. Clint would never hurt her. He loved her. They no longer "banged", nor "fucked". They _made love_, and it meant a lot to both of them.

"Make love…" Natasha tested out the words. "Make love to me tonight, no, _with me._ Make love _with_ me tonight."

"I'm always glad to." Clint chuckled. "Carry my bow for me?"

"Clint… if there's anything you hate - it's people touching your bow and arrows." Natasha gasped.

"Maybe you're not just 'people', Natasha, you need to remember that you're not just anybody to me. You're my somebody. You don't count as part of the 'people' now." Clint sighed as he handed Natasha his bow. Natasha was hesitant to hold it at first and stopped dead in her tracks, but Clint reassured her with his hand cupping her's and brought them up to his bow. His bow felt smooth and odd, but it felt good.

"I'm not just 'people', so I'm an alien now?" Natasha laughed to ease the tension, as always.

"Come." Clint uttered his single-worded command. And she happily obeyed. With each step they took, Clint and Natasha had never felt happier in their lives before.

For Clint - he knew she was _the one_. He wanted to be more of a man for her. A better fighter, a better friend - a better lover. He's had a few unsuccessfully short relationships, but those were more for himself, for him to not feel lonely. Clint didn't want to be the lonewolf, nor did he want to lurk in the shadows. But he had the patience and the mindset for it. Natasha made him feel needed and happy and warm. He felt everything from hate to love to trust to truth and, _ god_, it just felt _right. _He had been disappointed with her answers so many times, but the moment she said yes - the moment she said yes was the best moment in his entire life.

For Natasha - Clint was the only reason she was alive. He saved her, and everyday he saved her again. He was her pillar, he was her everything. It was like nothing else mattered in the world. The look in his eyes were like a ten-year-old boy looking at his first crush. He looked at her like that everyday. And just like that, she knew that he was caught in her web like all her other victims. But this one was different. He was a man that never gave up. She had rejected him time and time again, but he never gave up. He just kept chasing after her like the Coyote chasing after the Roadrunner. So at last, she let down all her fences and let him in. And it was the best decision she had ever made.

"We're here." Clint dropped his arrows from his shoulder and grabbed them with his hand. He placed her gun in the heart of his palm as he handed it to her. And with her gun in one hand and his bow in the other, she decided to play him.

"Tasha. Bow." Clint said authoritatively. And that only gave the spark to Natasha's fuel. She ran.

* * *

If any of this sounds familiar - it's because I've been listening to "Kiss Me" by Ed Sheeran the whole day. My Gods, I want a relationship like this.  
Sorry for the blabbering. Hope you liked it and please review/follow/favourite (: xx (ps. to those who caught the "Scarlett" reference...ehhehehe)


	11. You Can Run

Boy, Clint had a good reflex. He wasn't far behind her. But Natasha was quick. Very quick. The only reliable way to chase her down was by tracking her with his eyes.

Clint smiled to himself. _Once you catch her… she'll get the taste of it._ He knew these mountains better than her, but this was her test. To prove that she was better than him. So Clint went 100%. Normally, he wouldn't. He would let Natasha play him and laugh it off. But this time, it was a chance to dominate her in an area he didn't before.

He was catching up with her, leaves crunching beneath his feet and Natasha not far ahead. So he held her breath and sprinted. Natasha could hear his footsteps, so she bent down and put down Clint's bow and holstered her gun. She was questioning whether she had lost her edge or that he was getting quicker. And right when she'd reached the conclusion that it wasn't her, he pounced and tackled her to the floor and pinned her there.

She kicked at his right shin and he grunted, then a punch to his face. _Oh, she wasn't holding back._ A drop of blood dripped from the corner of Clint's mouth onto Natasha's neck.

_Shit, did you hit him too hard? Should you apologise?_ Natasha decided against it. She flipped him on his back and made a run again. Clint tripped her with a leg sweeping along the floor. Natasha caught herself with both hands on the floor, but Clint was on her again. And damn, was he heavy. He put his entire weight on her and… she felt his erection at her back. And he held her down and _grinned._ _Dammit, Clint! _

"Mm, Tasha, I love your game." Clint hissed as he used a hand to wipe away the trickle of blood and let Natasha taste it.

"Okay, okay, you win." Natasha huffed as she struggled against him. "Ow, Clint, you're heavy."

"You'll know trouble if you run." Clint said as he stood up. "Bow?"

"There." Natasha pointed with pouted lips. Clint walked and picked up his bow. "I put it down, so there won't be any scratches. Don't worry."

"How about this, since you saved my bow from scratching… I'll give you another chance to win. We'll spar. Properly. No weapons. How does that sound?" Clint smiled. "But I'm not going to go easy on you."

"You never go easy on me, but I always kick your ass anyways." Clint only shook his head as he laughed. "Besides, Clint, what do I get if I win?" He leaned in and grabbed her shoulders gently.

"I'll make you feel so good for the rest of the week, you'll get shivers from even _thinking_ about it." He whispered._ Oh._

"And if I lose?" Natasha gulped. Clint would always think of something sadistically cruel that would torture her mentally instead of physically. Sometimes, she wished it was the opposite.

"You're not allowed to come for this entire week." Clint beamed from ear to ear.

"Clint!" Natasha squeaked as blushed. "What if I turn down this offer and just leave it as it is."

"Then I win, and you're not allowed to come for say… three days." Clint kissed her. "Tell me what you want."

"I'll fight you." Natasha stepped back.

"Okay." Clint said as he anticipated her attack. And with that, her assault began. With her left hook punch, she grazed his neck lightly but her right leg gave his face a thorough round house kick. She was not holding back. Clint took a few steps back as he brushed his aching cheek and Natasha saw this as a chance to go in for the kill. _Thigh grip._ So he countered it. From the many times he'd been bruised and beaten by the thigh grip, he knew the routine and he countered it. He looked for the right moment, as soon as he felt her skin on his neck he flipped backwards and Natasha's shoulders hit the ground _hard _with a loud thud. _She should be okay._ He heard no bones or joints, so she should be okay, theoretically. But then again, he never had the best hearing.

"Natasha, are you - " Clint suddenly felt a sharp jab against his diaphragm as he squatted down to inspect her injuries. Natasha took advantage of this and made her blow. Clint held her elbow in place and helped her up.

"I always thought…" Natasha murmured as she rubbed her shoulder and Clint gave her a look. "I'm okay. I'm okay. This was the first time you ever beat me."

"I know." Clint nodded apologetically.

"You mean you've been going easy on me this whole time?" Natasha huffed as she began to follow their trails and walk back to where they came from.

"Yes." Clint grabbed her hand and stopped her. "Are you really okay? I've got a kit back in the cabin."

"I'm fine." Natasha hissed as she ripped her hand from his. She was pissed, not because she lost, but because all the times that she won, she didn't actually win.

"Natasha, I'm sorry. I just like that proud look on your face more than my victory, and I know it would crush your ego." Clint hurried behind Natasha like a lost puppy.

"Well, thank you for being so considerate towards my ego for so many years and then taking ten seconds to crush it!" Natasha spat as she sped up her walk. Her shoulder ached. It was only a bruise, but it still ached a lot. She hit the ground hard. Her ego hit the ground hard. Clint spun her around so she would face him.

"Look at me, Natasha. Look at me." Clint said and their eyes met. "I only ever wanted you to be happy. That's the only thing I hope for every single morning when I wake up. Don't be angry at me." And he was right. He did so many things, got out of his way so many times just so her life was easier.

"I'm not. I just. I thought I was good. That was the one thing I was better than you at. And now there's nothing." Natasha scoffed. He kissed her. Natasha fought him. She didn't want to kiss him, but his strength was much out of her league. His tongue jammed into her throat the more she fought, and eventually she relaxed as she embraced the tears. "I want to be good at something." Natasha breathed when they broke the kiss.

"You are. You're good at everything you do, Natasha. But I'm a man, and unless you do steroids, which I hope you don't, you can't change the fact that I'm _supposed _to be stronger and quicker. Evolution." Clint smiled as he tugged on her messy hair.

"Your ego is through the roof." Natasha smiled. "You're right. But I'll keep training and someday when I beat you; that'll be the revenge for today."

"Tasha, think about it. You've defeated so many people. So many men have been crushed because of you." Clint cooed. The began walking again, hand in hand. "You're going to enjoy this hunt."

* * *

Ugh... I'd much rather write this than my stupid lab report for school... Somebody save me. Anyways. Tonight's the night that I really need to work, or else my throat's gonna get slit. I hope you enjoyed this installment. Wish me luck. My leg is already broken.

Please review/follow/favourite. **NOW WORK, ELIZABETH! xx**


	12. A Bloody Situation

"How's that shoulder?" Clint asked. Natasha glared at him. "Okay!" He held his hands up with palms facing her as sign of defeat.

"Jackass." Natasha laughed. They were on top of a hill, leaning close to the ground where the grass tickled their chins and their shoulders were just touching. Another game. Clint had proposed that if she could take down an animal before he did, then he would shorten the punishment to 5 days instead of an entire week._ Come at me, Barton._ And then suddenly, Clint knelt up to pull his bow and before she knew it, he had already fired. "What the? Where?"

"There." Clint pointed with his index finger towards the left side of the forest they were looking down on. Deer. So Clint relaxed and sat and enjoyed bathing in the sunlight. Natasha heard a bush move. Clint didn't notice.

She took her gun out of the holster and fired before she aimed. Countless birds fluttered by as they shrieked their cries for help. She fired 5 or 6 shots before she stopped, what remained of the bush was now burnt leaves and twigs. And a bloody mess. Clint grinned._ Just the type of girl, relentless and unforgiving._

They walked over to the stripped bush. The bloody puddle of flesh was a rabbit.

"This counts, right?" Natasha pointed at the mess with her gun.

"Natasha, this - " Clint argued.

"I took it down, fair and square." Natasha bumped against him.

"Fine. Five days. No more games. I'm going to enjoy this, Natasha. You're going to beg and beg but I'm not going to put you out of your misery. Oh, no, Tasha. I'm going to enjoy you squirming against me while you beg and sing to me." Clint murmured. _That little son of a bitch._

And then they packed away their stuff before walking down the hill to pick up the carcass of the deer. A single arrow through the neck, not through and through, but close enough. Clint's talent was undeniable. _Unlike your pleasure_. Natasha shook her head._ Stop thinking about it. It's all part of his game_. They brought the flesh back to the cabin, leaving the bones and what remained for the wolves.

Before Natasha even had a chance to touch the door, his mouth was on hers, hands everywhere and she _loved_ it. She moaned into his mouth when his hand came up to cup her head and use her hair as leverage and exposed her neck. He grasped the roots of her beautiful red waves and breathed against her neck. "Oh, baby, you're muddy and tired and your shoulder's probably aching but I'm taking what's mine. You're _mine._" He growled. By the time Clint was finished with her, she was panting and sweating and aching for more.

"Clint." Natasha placed a hand on his chest.

"Oh, no, Natasha. We can. But you just can't come." Clint murmured into her ear before kissing her forehead and opened the door.

Natasha was left pained and horny. She made the potatoes while Clint sliced up the meat. "Clint, I think we need to go to the supermarket soon. Need to get some supplies."

"Okay. We'll go some time this week." Clint smiled. There was a gentle side to him, and not many people have seen that. Sure, he was friendly, certainly not _hostile_, but it was just scratching the surface. The side to him that was most precious to Natasha was the side that he only showed with her. However naughty and cruel and protective he was, there was always a kind side. Whatever Natasha did, he always forgave her. Whatever she did _wrong_ however, he'd always muster up something to make her learn her lesson.

And then there was the side to Natasha that so few had ever seen. The day that Clint Barton found her was the first time she remembered showing that face. And every day with him, every moment, that side of her lurked beneath her plastered smile. But it was a good feeling. She was exposed and vulnerable and in love but that was part of it. That was part of being with Clint. A part of how he made her feel. A part of who she was, and there was no shame to admitting it.

* * *

"Oh, Natasha." Clint grinned as thought of an idea while eating. "We are going to have so much fun tonight."

* * *

Of course, there will be the M rated spin-off of how they spend the five days. Don't worry about it. Now that I'm back to school, I use my free periods to write. That's how I roll (:

Hope you liked it and be sure to check out the upcoming spinoff! Please help me by reviewing/favouriting/following! Much thanks for your support xx


	13. Dropping Down On One Knee

For the rest of the month, they spent their time together, sometimes going on road trips, sometimes just relaxing in Clint's cabin. They would jog together and enjoy some pressure less sparring. Perhaps the favourite time of the day was bath time. They had resorted to a nice, warm, romantic bath every night they were together, where they could make love to their heart's content. And the bed was definitely good too. It was so comfortable and it smelled strongly of their arousal.

And then one day, Natasha woke up and found that Clint left a note on the dining table in the cabin, saying that he would be back soon. For the month they've taken leave, they had basically been each other's shadows. And Natasha felt unusually lonely that day, lazing on the bed reading her _Cosmo_. She needed some time to pamper herself. But then again, Clint had pampered her enough already. So she did some lazy stuff. She did some lazy lady stuff. Masks, and peeling cream and hydrating her skin, and by the time Clint got home, she had a generous layer of pink cream on her face and her torso glistening and wrapped in a towel. Clint laughed until he coughed.

"You bastard." Natasha scoffed.

"I don't know about 'bastard', but I'm definitely a 'Barton'." He joked.

"Okay, fine. Let me just clean up." Natasha dropped her towel and walked into the bathroom.

And if this was even possible, Clint pampered her even more. She was massaged daily, kissed and loved. It was suspicious. Clint wasn't normally like this. So when she finally found the chance to actually spar, she grasped it tight. And Clint just led her to the side of the lake, holding hands and looking at her like she was made of gold. Like she was the only thing that mattered in the world.

* * *

They had loaded their weapons with empty bullets and blunt arrows. Clint rested the bow against his shoulder while Natasha checked on the holster on her thigh. The most damage they would do was a bruise or two. And began the routinely warm ups, throwing punches and countering with a circular hooked hand. Natasha would perform her spinning kicks as Clint dodged and brought his arms up to protect his cranium if she did ever come to close. It felt good to exercise - to let off what little steam there was.

She looked at him like a cat eyeing her prey, with a sly grin as she prepared her attack. Clint promised himself that he would not hurt her, no, not today. She drifted to the side before charging towards Clint. Her first bullet came towards him quickly. He flung himself on the side of the grass and crawled._ Wait for the moment_, _Clint._ And off he went, running into the forest, and slipping in between trees. Natasha walked calmly and cooly. Clint picked out his first of five arrows.

He shot it up and let it drop next to her leg. And the next two came simultaneously. The arrows flew either side of her shoulders and back towards the lake. The fourth made her dodge towards the tree. And Clint took the chance when he saw it. The sharpened arrow. He pulled his bowstring, elbow at a perfect right angle to his torso, the muscles in his arms squeezing and pulsing with anxiety and excitement. Her released the fifth and final arrow so it penetrated the tree dangerously close to her ear.

Natasha was shocked for a while; adrenaline gushing through her blood and the arrow next to her head. That was Clint's way of winning. And she caught up with her breath, chest heaving and hands on her thighs as she smiled. When, out of nowhere, there was movement next to the head and she threw herself on the floor, bracing for an explosion. The mechanical fletchings of the arrow opened up and revealed a small, round, metal object. Clint helped Natasha up as she watched him pick it out of the arrow and turned.

And everything happened so slowly. Natasha could see everything. And everything she saw was Clint.

He was sweating, possibly from the fighting, but more likely because of his nerves. And his pupils dilated in his sparkling green-blue-hazel eyes. His vocal cords shaking as he gulped down his fears. He squeezed the object tightly in his hand before bringing it up to his chest as he went down on one knee. And then everything just stopped. Their hearts pound together as one. And she finally heard him.

"Natasha Romanoff, will you marry me?" Clint asked in the deepest, most sincere voice.

* * *

I haven't been sleeping well, lately. If this stories getting a bit off; I promise that I'll take more time in the next chapter. If I had a man like Clint... God.

But anyways, I hope I haven't let you down. Please review/favourite/follow. I think there'll be 2 more chapters coming up until the end of the story (boohoo. I loved writing this.) So I would like to thank you for sticking around and reading my stuff til this point. You guys are great, and my motivation to keep writing xx


	14. Avengers Assembled

"Yes." Natasha finally blurted as she wrapped her hands around his neck and he kissed her with all his heart. "Yes." She whispered again. Clint took her hands and slid the ring around her middle finger.

"Finally." Clint smiled.

"Finally." She smiled towards him as brightly as she ever was. "Finally, I'm your's"

"You are, and always will be mine." Clint murmured gently.

"Your's." Natasha nodded. "Forever."

"Let's go back. I have a surprise for you." Clint hugged her tightly.

"As if this wasn't big enough a surprise." She laughed. "Wah!" She squealed as she was swept off her feet and Clint carried her all the way back to the cabin, without picking up his arrows, because at that moment, it was all about Natasha. His world revolved around her and he only wanted it to. She was the most important thing in his life. Not his career, or his skill, or his fighting abilities.

Natasha just leaned into his hold and rested her head on his rhomboid. She had never felt safer, or more happy than in that moment. And she wished it would last forever.

So when Clint was about to open the door, Natasha was at first reluctant to stand by herself. But she held on to his hand and turned the handle. And standing before her was the Avengers. Assembled. Fury, Hill, (not Coulson, but his favourite tie.), Steve, Stark, the Doctor, but not Thor. They stood as grinning idiots, and she had never seen Fury smile like that in her time at S.H.I.E.L.D.

Stark was the first one to speak.

"You know, Agent Romanoff, I never thought you'd be the romantic type." He laughed. "Your boyfriend called me up and asked me for a favour. Or should I say fiancee?"

"Thanks, dude." Clint smiled as he nodded.

"You have our blessings. We wouldn't miss the world for this." Banner said.

"Thank you." Natasha smiled.

They had a small engagement party together; Stark with pizza from New York, Maria baked a cream-cheese cake for Natasha, Dr Banner gave something to Clint, and Of course, Fury with Phil's tie as an engagement present to Clint. Everyone was happy for the couple and Captain said his traditional blessings and Stark just wanted to shut him up.

Half-way through the meal, Fury pulled Natasha to a side to discuss something.

"Has Clint expressed his opinions on you going on missions, especially the ones where you have to get involved, you know?" Fury said.

"Yes, sir." She responded.

"Do you know how he feels?" He asked again. She nodded. "What are your views on it? We respect and support your decision. If you need some time to think over it -" Natasha looked at Clint and caught his eyes. He smiled and nodded in the most supportive manner.

"No, director." Natasha cut-in. "That won't be necessary. I'll be on the field, fighting. But no more undercover work." Fury patted her on the shoulder.

"Alright then. We'll call you in when we need you." And they once again took their seats.

After the meal, Clint sent them away. Natasha washed the dishes and cleaned the table. "Hey." Clint said as he went back into the house.

"Hi." Natasha greeted him as he kissed her silently.

"What did Fury - " Clint asked nervously.

"About the, uh, job description after we return to S.H.I.E.L.D." Natasha said.

"And?" Clint asked again, grasping her hand unconsciously.

"Fighting, but no undercover work." Natasha huffed as she smiled, and then she dropped the smile. "Clint… thanks for organising this, and this," she pointed motioned towards her ring, "but right now, I just want to keep our relationship between ourselves. I mean. I've only gotten used to it."

"Oh." Clint dropped his smile as well. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I know you just want me to be happy." Natasha brushed her fingers through his spiky hair. "I appreciate it."

"Thanks, Natasha. I hope I didn't upset you too much." He pouted. "Let me make up to you?"

She nodded.

* * *

Obviously I'm aching to get married. Okay, not at this age. Sooner or later? I don't know hahahah. I just want someone as sweet and considerate and as kind as Clint. Someone who loves me.

Next chapters going to be the last one. I know! ): I wish I could write more on this story, but my brain juices are drying out. So please, tell your friends to check it out! Please also leave a review/follow/favourite. Thank you so much for your continuous support! I love you guys so much (: xx


	15. Her Ring

Clint and Natasha had many discussions after the party. She would take his name, but with her name hyphened. She would live with him, and she agreed to remove her IUD after 3 years of marriage if he still wanted children.

They had a small wedding. The two of them and the pastor. Wedding vows sang with all their heart. They put on their rings, he flipped her veil and he kissed her. Mrs. Romanoff-Barton.

Natasha realised something, standing in the mirror in their walk-in closet with her wedding dress and make up done. She wasn't alone, no. Clint was in her heart, and she was never going to be alone. Through thick and thin, they've been together and stayed together, and now this is the final confirmation. She can wear the ring proudly to show off their relationship and it will claim her as his. She didn't need the small cottage house with a white picket fence and the small back yard. Love wasn't about having 2 or 3 kids, or agreeing with everything your partner said and did. Love was at the heart, and if she learnt to agree to disagree, that was all she needed. Home wasn't a mansion, a flat, a studio, or a house. Home was where Clint was, in her heart.

* * *

Sighs... it's over ): BUT THERE WILL BE MORE. MARK MY WORDS. I have a few AU's lined up and I'm really excited because I've never done those before. I hope you liked the ending (given that it was this cheesy) and thank you SO MUCH for sticking with me until the very end. I now have no idea what to do with my life. (just kidding: to write even better stories in the near future!)

Please review/follow/favourite!  
Lotsalove,  
Elizabeth xx


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